Terrance Verton's Story

A bright light rose from Terra and drifted into the blackness of space, barely noticeable to the naked eye for its size - merely that of a single human. Twinkling, the figure shot through the sky at the speed of a missile, and yet sensory equipment would detect nothing. No physical form, no heat signature. It was like a glowing ghost was approaching the alien vessels that had launched an all-out assault on the planet. It would take a keen watching eye to even notice it, small as it was, making a beeline for the section of the front-most ship where the captain was giving his orders.

The figure passed straight through the shields of the ship without so much as an impact, and continued on towards the ship's hull itself. It would not be long before it closed the distance, potentially unnoticed.

"Ugh...what's with the weather lately? I go to Ridgecrest to take in the nightlife, next thing I know, I'm all the way over here?" A Terran in his mid-twenties woke up with a massive hangover in Hotel Richissime on the north side of the city, the fanciest of fancy accommodations to be had on all of Ruula. Being one of Terra's elite warriors, one could afford such an opulent lifestyle. He looked out over the Badlands through the torrential rainstorm after blinking a few times to get rid of the double vision, then drank a glass of water by the bed...which turned out to be vodka.

"Bleah! Ugh! Drunk me is an ASSHOLE. Fuck drunk me. I'm never getting in a drinking contest with one of those...THINGS ever again." Staggering a bit, he put the glass back down, but the sight of a massive silver bird flying towards the center of town made him stop. What...this was incredible. Fucking WOW.

"Ugh...guess I'd better start getting dressed so I can see what's up." Then the thunderous roars of repeated Aeroblasts got his attention. Thunder and lightning? No, that was the bird blasting away at something...then a massive explosion as what appeared to be a meteor impacted right in front of his window. But that last one, that was definitely regular lightning.

"Fuck...I'm gonna need to invest in some good earplugs. Maybe ask if anyone's got a good hangover remedy around here," he grunted. Having to leave the ANDEE suit back at base was a pain, but he always carried a few basic charges and a sidearm for self-defense. He played with the slide a bit, making sure it wouldn't jam easily, then smoothly loaded a magazine before throwing on a poncho and venturing out to investigate.

---

"Look, lady, for the hundredth time, I'm not one of those Trainers you wanna fight with, okay? Just a tourist! You know what, fine, you can have my spot. There, happy?" Terrance struggled to get a good view of the landing site. There were lots of people here, many with those weird grenade-looking things at their belt. Idiots. You wore grenades on bandoleers. Much banter in several languages could be heard as everyone sought to get a good view of the artifact, to say nothing of those that just wanted to snap a picture of the great Lugia that was roosting in the central plaza back within the city walls.

The Lugia laid down on the ground, closing her eyes as she rested her head upon the cool rain soaked stone of the ground. She breathed in and out slowly as she kept herself calm and at rest. The rain up above pelted the ground in dense showers, soaking everyone now gathering around her. One eye soon opened as she saw the humans marvel in wonder at her appearance which brought a small chuckle to her throat. Humans were always so fascinated by her and for good reason. To her knowledge, she was the only one of her kind and one with an immense legendary reputation. She was the master of the deep oceans, responsible for the currents of the world and the balance of the oceans. She was the gale bringer and the balance of the other legendary birds.

The Lugia soon glowed a white color as she quickly began to regain her strength from the land around her. With each second, she brought herself up and shook off sheets of rain from her plumage and let out another serenading call to the heavens, almost singing to the skies and the people all around her. It was calming, a soothing gala that was meant to show that there was no reason to panic despite what came for them. She looked about and opened a wing to gesture for the wall and the asteroid's debris.

'Citizens of this city...' She said, using her psychic power to speak to the populace via telepathy

'A great force comes this way and I am here to protect you from it. Yet I cannot do this alone. While I may be powerful in my own right, these foes are a danger to the world. I have seen what they intend to do and I know that they will not stop until all lays in ruins. Those of you, both human and pokemon alike, that are willing to stand with me then join me as I bring the fight to these beasts'

The Lugia soon opened her other wing and beat her wings hard as she took off and landed at the edge of the city, letting out another shrieking sound as she waited until she could see the Orkish horde get closer. She would defend these humans as best as she could. Even the wild pokemon moved from their positions around the city and ran towards where Lugia was perched and waited, almost in staunch determination as each one readied themselves for whatever might come.

The massive green tide surfed forward destroying, shooting and all around destroying everything they came across while the ork Kommando's went to work gathering useful scrap from a nearby power plant, this place would be well worth the scrap they used to get on the planet in the first place.

"'Oi! Were 'da fight at? I'z bored!" A random ork boy yelled as they encountered very little resistance besides rocks and open plains ahead of them.

The shouts and screams came from inside the city. But thanks to the Lugia's call, the people knew what to do.

"They must have teleported past us and into the city! Let's get 'em!"

Terrance just stood there dumbfounded as dozens of Pokemon started running into the city, ready to kick ass and take names. "Holy shit. Those aren't grenades at all! They're...some sort of capsule monsters. I saw a few before I blacked out, but this is something else. It's like...it's like every Trainer here serves in the militia or something. That...that would actually make a ton of sense."

Ducking behind a burning taxi cab, Terrance drew his weapon and took a few potshots at the nearest Ork looting the hotel before retreating into a nearby alley. Fire and move, just like in basic training. Too many innocents to risk using his charges...some fool might run the wrong way and get hurt.

As the Orks drew themselves closer, Lugia and the hordes of pokemon soon took off running, charging at their lines with the intent of bringing on a good fight. With too many various types to account, the Orks were battered by water, fire, plantlife, rocks, beasts and psychic energy all at different points. Lugia took to the skies herself and let out a long call and charged down towards the bulk of the green horde.

She breathed in a deep breath and let loose a howling Aeroblast into the huge number of orks, cutting them down by the dozens with the single breath. Her head twisted and turned as she almost drew an S into the lines of the Orks before flying past them with the intent of bringing down more from another angle. She swerved hard and banked while taking in another deep breath and unleashed a powerful hydro pump, cutting orcs down in half with a jet of water that could cut through steel. She was doing a great deal of damage to the bulk of the Horde, trying to thin as many of the numbers as she could before they got too far into the city.

'Do not let them into your homes. Keep them back...dont get too close if you can avoid it!'

She called out to the citizens. Their fight was now beginning...

The massive Horde of orks were slowly being thinned. Gunfire erupted from the Orkz ranks aiming at anything that was not an ork firing hails of bullets, though inaccurate made for some lucky shots due to the sheer mass of bullets being shot. Of course, this was a losing battle for the orkz, outnumbered, and outpowered being yet another raiding party. However there was one thing they were going to do. Kill as many gitz as they could, and die fighting.

Stormboyz with massive engines strapped on their backs soon took note of Lugia. Another nob pointed at the flying creature. "'Oi! Ot! you gitz! Stikk 'da big 'fing!" The brute of an ork waved his massive hammer like a stick and a small mob of 11 boyz took to the skies to rush the flying dragon. "Get stukk in boyz! 'Da lizard 'fing ain't no ork! We'ze tougha' 'den 'dat 'fing!" The Nob roared in the skies.

For all the remaining boyz on the ground they recklessly charged forward. Their tough skin and crude armor minimizing the damage from the lesser pokemon as they fired off rounds trying to close the distance. "'Chop 'dem! Kill 'dem!" A boy yelled waving its crude cleaver.

This was the problem with militia. No direction. No ability to fight as a group like these...things seemed to be capable of. Sure, each individual had a band of trained monsters at their side, and that seemed as good as a squad, but the lesser attacks weren't doing much. Seeing the band of orkz run at the bird in the center, he tossed one of his charges in front of the group, little more than a flashbang to disorient and halt them while he explained his plan. "You three, listen up! They're coming to take out the bird! We've got to keep them contained in the streets and alleys so they can't get a clear shot! You, with the fire cat!"

"Litleo?" said a little girl.

"Yeah, whatever. These things don't like fire. I need you to block off their angles of attack with walls of fire. Can you do that?"

"Yeah, his Fire Spin should--"

"Good enough. You two, cover my ass while I try to get to that inner boulevard with the obelisks. We can set up a fallback position there if they take the main road here. I've seen more than my fair share of this sort of fighting, and the fact that I'm still here means I probably know what I'm doing. You have your orders. Move, kids!"

Suddenly, lightning bolts started blasting from the top of Prism Tower, the resident inventor and gym leader Clemont's contribution to the battle for Lumiose City. "Stick to cover, kids! They're firing all over the goddamn place!" One lucky shot got one of the kids in the leg, and he screamed in a register usually reserved for dogs. Terrance picked him up and kept running. "With all this spray and pray, there's no way everyone is getting out of this alive. But dammit, if I can save one person today, I'm gonna do it. Girlie! Make that firewall cover, anyone standing out in the open is as good as dead! And stay away from the windows!"

Terrance's point about the windows was proven after a little girl in a suit with a big E on the visor jumped through one, sending shards of glass everywhere and Superman-punching a painboy trying to get the jump on the group. Terrance dispatched him with an execution shot to the back of the head with his piece before reloading. "Let's keep moving, I've only got so much ammo."

The shriek that came from the Lugia was immense, channeling the power of the storm into her fury as she flew and decimated the hordes of orks down below. She banked and turned to use the buildings to absorb their fire from the strange devices they carried. Many of them were falling to the pokemon down below but soon found herself assaulted in the skies by the twelve storm boyz up above. Her eyes narrowed as she took off higher into the sky, being drawn away from the battle for but a moment before she looped around in a circle and opened her maw to unleash a powerful Aeroblast directed at the twelve orks. Her wings stopped flapping as she barreled into them hard then opened her wings to let the powerful surge of air catch her.

Their technology couldn't compare to one who lived and breathed in the skies and it soon became clear. From down below, winged pokemon a plenty took to the air and rained down fire and ice, lightning upon the orks and the remaining storm boyz. This battle was certainly turning in their favor. But Lugia's eyes were set on the Ork Warboss at the center of their lines. She would let out a loud clarion call and then felt a streak of lightning hit her from the tower. She let out a scream of agony as she drew her attention away from the battle and flew towards the tower. Enraged, she took in a deep breath and unleashed a powerful Aeroblast to bring the tower's main lightning conductor down. But the burn did take a good deal of energy away from her and soon she lowered her altitude to be able to recover, nestled within the city.

'I need time to rest. Please give me time to recover my strength'

She called out to the people.

"'Oi boss! 'Da boyz got swatted down from 'da skies!" A Kommando spoke as it filled his bag full of scrap ripped straight from the many machines laying around. "'Oi! 'da gitz 'un 'da ground I'z gettin' krumped!" Another Kommando called out.

"'Den get 'da Mekboy git to 'urry up before we'ze get duffed!" The Nob spoke as he continued to loot the power plant.

As the fire and lightning rained from the skies, and walls of fire impeding bullets. Ork boyz soon began to break ranks as their numbers were thinning out into much smaller groups. Their morale breaking however they were going to regroup if they gathered again.

"Not much longer now! We got 'em on the defensive! Now's the time to charge their lines with that goat thingy!" "Uh, Gogoat." "Whatever, kid, I'm not from around here. Time to cut loose with whatever ya got left!" "Gogoat are too mellow and calm for that! That one's not even battle ready, it's for touring the city!"

Terrance was soon proven right as the Gogoat knew when to lose its temper. Lowering its head and pawing the ground, a single Take Down was enough to send a squad of orks flying into the distance like so many bowling pins. Even Essentia, the local superhero, was more than capable of holding back her share of the horde, together with a Crobat moving almost too fast to see, let alone aim at.

"What the hell was that? We got snipers?!" "Nope, that was an Aerial Ace." "Remind me never to piss you guys off," Terrance said a bit sheepishly. "Get the wounded to that building with the red roof, I see a lot of people running there to get their Pokeymans or whatever juiced up and ready to go again. If they have reinforcements, they should be calling for 'em pretty soon. I need a squad to cover me, we need to secure any buildings with an upstairs like the hotel and the museum--gotta get the high ground before they get it to use on us. Three more to go and take the train station...I dunno where it goes, but we can use it both to get away and possibly to bring in our own backup. We can win this."

Fortunately, there was another force ready to tag in for the recovering Lugia...

The Orks would be suddenly blindsided by another wave of Pokemon coming from the other direction. Just as varied in type make-up, this band of Pokemon were strictly wildings of many shapes and sizes, launching ranged attacks of all degrees at their foes. Leading this fresh charge of stronger Pokemon was the uncanny appearance of a Rapidash being ridden by what else than a Pachirisu with a spark of glee in her eye. Supplying support from above was the sparkling eyed stare of an Emolga, who unleashed his mighty battle cry.

"CRIMSON GUILD, HO!"

The Crimson Guild had arrived. Almost immediately the wave segmented itself into multiple teams of two, three, or four. Each team was enough to take on an Ork apiece. Their strategies came out and they began unleashing their own strategies upon the splitting Ork Forces. Some performed the divide and conquer technique. Other bull-rushed head-on into the opposing forces. As for the three leaders of the charge, they rained their own fire and lightning storm upon a hefty bunch, Electro Balls proving most effective for Pachirisu and Emolga due to their overbearing speed advantage they had over the Orks while the Rapidash sealed the deal with Fire Blasts straight from her engulfed muzzle. Their mood was surprisingly light.

"Missed one over there," the Emolga jabbed at the Pachirisu as he provided a follow-up Electro Ball.

"What? No I didn't," came her indignant reply as she shifted position on the back of the Rapidash, "Stop lying!"

"You sure did," Skyball replied with a wink as he tossed another Electro Ball to their right, "And that one, too."

"Well that's because you're distracting me!" Lumi shot back.

"Because you're letting yourself get distracted," Skyball recited one of their leader's favorite lines towards her. Lumi huffed.

"Oh, stop. I'm still ahead of you."

"How?"

"I got ten of them coming into the city."

"I think you're exaggerating."

"CAN WE FOCUS, PLEASE?!" the Rapidash had enough of the bickering. It showed with an angry Flame Charge directed at the mass of Orks in front of her. "You guys aren't even attacking anymore!"

"Rubira, this is important," Skyball replied as he picked up a disheveled brick and heaved it towards another Ork.

"Pretty sure saving the city takes priority over this little KO Contest you guys have going!"

The bickering stopped and the fighting resumed for a moment. And then Rubira interjected with, "Besides....I'm winning."

---

While the battle continued to be enforced in favor of the Pokemon, four Pokemon met in the center square, looking for the Lugia they had seen take the skies earlier. On the right were the dynamic duo of Pert and Meryl, the Plusle and Minun that grew stronger the closer they were to one another. Each fed off the other's charge, magnifying it tenfold until in encapsulated the entire courtyard. Pert had a permanent smile in his face while Meryl kept a concentrated look as she scouted about, her mouth forming a small frown. Keeping an eye behind them to make sure they weren't being followed by Orks was Tag, the fastest Turtwig who ever ran. Eyes keen and alert, he darted around, scouting out potential flanks and hidden alcoves where enemies could strike while keeping up with the group. The Power Boots he donned to wear helped immensely in this regard. And leading the group was the most enigmatic Pokemon ever. A standard Chimchar with an all too calm demeanor about him. He held a Power Bat in his grasp and kept a stance like he could be ready for anything anyone wanted to throw at him. And his eyes...his gaze was focused, but relaxed...not worried in the slightest.

This was Crimson.

"Hey, I forgot to mention at the HQ," Crimson called back to Pert and Meryl, "Good eye on seeing those creatures drop in."

"Wasn't that hard," Meryl played him off, "You see a number of fireballs descending from the sky and you go 'Huh...whazzat?' And boom...here we are."

The Chimchar chuckled, "One of these days, you're going to accept a compliment and when you do, I'm holding a festival in the Pokemon Village."

Meryl shrugged, "Cool. I probably won't show up."

"I see the Lugia!" Tag called from the Western part of the center of Lumiose City, peering down towards Magenta Plaza. There, the Lugia was nestled, recovering it's strength and preparing itse;f to hop back into the action.

Immediately, the four began running down the street and within a moment, was before the massive Legendary. "Greetings," Crimson spoke to Lugia, "We are here to help fight of this invasion. I've already got some of my team fighting off the Orks with more on the way."

---

"Over there! The Power Plant!"

It was only a team of three that would approach the Orks in the badlands, but a very capable three nonetheless. A Shaymin in Sky Form was descending from the skies, already tossing Energy Balls in the direction of Orks. From it's back stood a Dedenne, unleashing a Charge Beam in the same vicinity. Providing the flank was the bodacious Togetic, the prehistoric might of Ancient Power breaking into the ranks from afar.

"Let's rain down some hell on these guys!" Gambit the Togetic was saying as he felt his body swell in power from the use of Ancient Power.

"Team Vitality needs reconnaissance in the northwest area outside of Lumiose City!" Dee the Dedenne sent out an electrical signal from her whiskers to any Pokemon in a five mile vicinity. "Crimson Guild, repeat, Team Vitality needs recon in the Badlands!"

"Oi! Leg in you gitz! Boss wants all 'da boyz back to the power placey building!" A hulking Ork Nob shouted as the Orkz began to retreat back to the power plant.

As Orkz began to storm into the building the biggest hulking Komamndo Nob began to shout his order. "Listen up you'ze Gitz! I'z want all 'da Nobs 'ta gather scrap and snazz up your kits! 'Da rest 'Uv 'da boyz grab all 'da gunz 'da Mekboy snagged with 'im! We'ze still need 'ta loot 'da place and juice up 'da Tellyporta pad!" The Ork then gave a heart WAGHHH! Followed by the remaining orkz also roaring and taking up positions by windows. Armed with a plethera of Rokkits, Deffguns and a bunch of shoota's the power plant was now a small gun fortress with the ork numbers being in the double digits.

For the Kommando Nob, He began to head to the center of the power plant as the remaining boyz outside hurried indoors to saftey.

The fighting outside did not go un-noticed by the Luiga nor was she actively stopping her assault. The Lightning had done some significant damage to her and she was still weak but with the aid of the rain and the ground beneath her bulk. She could infact feel herself getting better and soon. she was not laying on the ground any longer. She opened her wings and shifted them and was about to take flight before she spied the four small pokemon approach her. Her head lowered just a bit as she inspected the four with a quizzical look on her face. These were certainly new...

'Any aid would be welcome in this encounter...I am still recovering as quickly as I am able. I need but a few more minutes until I can truly take flight once more. That human's lightning bolt did not do me any favors'

She spoke via telepathy to the four and laid herself down once again so she could be at eye level with them. They were so small and so fragile looking yet here they were on the field. How very brave and which elicited a nuzzle to each of them from the Legendary

'Where are the monster's now exactly?'

She asked, lifting her head to try and see over the city but failing to do so. She looked rather haggard at this point.

"Sounds like the rest are holing up wherever they can. Gonna be a bitch to root them out, especially with all that spray and pray," Terrance lamented. A girl on roller skates crouched with him inside the second floor of the museum, the other two blown to bits by what the invaders seemed to call dakka.

"Shit. Sounds like they took the power plant. The winds are unpredictable and there's no cover out there save for a couple of natural canyons," panted the woman who was spattered with blood herself. "This is why we settle our fights with Pokémon battles. Nobody has to die over this stuff."

"Can't hear you through the hangover," Terrance retorted. "Okay. We don't know if those canyons are foxholes or kill boxes. We need some sort of air support to occupy them and let a small team breach the perimeter. Got any birds that can deliver a pick-me-up to the big one in the center of town?"

"Lugia's sitting right by the Gym. Leader Clemont should be on scene right now along with his aides to provide support."

"So is this Clemont guy like the mayor or something?"

"Pretty much. He also has contacts in the regional government that can--"

"That's all I need to know. You skate faster than I run, so haul your ass to him and explain the situation. Maybe bring some medicine for the big one. Looks like the wild ones are organizing a strike force themselves. It's almost time for the final assault...we need everybody following the same game plan. It'd be a suicide run if we tried to take the plant now without doing something about those turrets. I may not be from around here, but I know how to fight a war."

Crimson gave a pat of reassurance to the massive Lugia as he answered, "I'm not entirely sure-"

"We've got 'em on the run!" a shout emerged from behind them. All four whizzed around to see a young Galvantula calling to them from the central plaza, "They're heading for the Power Plant."

"Thanks for the update!" he called back as the Galvantula continued chase. Crimson shrugged and let loose an easy smile as he turned back to the Lugia, "Well, there ya go. Ask and ye shall receive." He turned to Tag, his expression serious once more. "Tag, catch up with them and get a good look on what's going on there."

With a nod, Tag bolted down the street, fast as a blur. He was gone before anyone could count to three.

"Pert and Meryl, you guide the remaining members in that direction. Also see if you can get in touch with Sarik and find out how close he is to Lumiose. Guide him and the Sunrise Brigade towards the Power Plant." When the Plusle and Minun took off towards the Central Plaza, it was just Crimson and the Lugia remaining.

"Don't worry. Rest until you're ready to hop back in the action. We can handle these guys until then." Crimson reached into a pack by his side and held out a few Oran Berries for the Lugia to take. "This'll probably help, if you need it."

---

Tag was onto the scene in less than two minutes from when Crimson asked him to join up with the other Crimson Guild Members. About half of their original crowd were already there, viewing the Power Plant from the distance. Others were filtering in behind them, catching up from the directional advice Pert and Meryl were providing from within the city. A few had already spotted Tag and were spouting off information to him.

"They ran that way!"

"They're holed up in the Power Plant over there!"

"Every entrance is covered!"

Tag was also examining the building from afar. It was easy to do across the bare landscape that was the Badlands. Nothing but tiny sand dunes and the occasional large bush for cover. They were out of range from most of the bullets the Orks could throw their way, but they knew fire would rain down upon them if they got too close. And since Tag didn't know what weapons they were packing...best not to chance it.

He knew he could zoom through the canyon and likely make it to the Plant without a scratch. He was fast enough. But he wasn't strong enough to take out the entire legion by himself. They needed the numbers to hold any kind of threat against the Orks. This is just like taking down the Psychic Rebellion Stronghold back on Mohka... Tag realized.

And so he drew the parallel to that day.

"Right!" Tag stepped in front of the Crimson Guild, who was mostly there. All eyes turned their attention to the Vice Leader, more than familiar with who he was at this point. "We need a distraction to keep the Orks busy! Charging through the Badlands is a bad idea, so we're gonna take to the skies. Any and all Flying-Types need to hover around the Power Plant to find any entrances you can for us to exploit and keep their attention off of us. The agile ones are best for this job. Anyone who is confident they can do the same from the ground, I won't stop you from doing so. I wouldn't recommend it, though. I don't even think Crimson could dodge that many bullets." He made that warning clear for those brash enough to try and do the distraction bit from the ground level before continuing.

"Meanwhile, we needed a silent way to intrude. How many Ground-Types do we have among us?" A good number of members stepped forward. "How many of you know how to Dig?" Half of these Ground-Types stepped back. "You guys will be the first infiltration team. Make your way to the Power Plant by digging underground. You guys will try to find a way to sneak in or barge in, whatever needs to happen first. We'll be getting support from the Sunrise Division soon, guys!" Tag turned around and exhaled audibly before he began his charge through the Badlands, "LET'S GO!"

"CRIMSON GUILD, HO!" the cries of many Pokemon called from behind as they began to move. All the Flying-Types took to the skies and were upon the building within moments. They began to circle around, seeking an access point into the building and firing ranged projectiles into the windows and open doors where the Orks camped out. All the while, they taunted the Orks with their bodies and dared them to try and hit them with their guns. Those that could dug underground and began to make their steady approach to the Power Plant in secret. Those that were brave enough to play the dodging game from the surface were Tag, Team Volt (Lumi, Rubira, and Skyball) a speedy Frogadier, and a brash, but agile Aipom. None were faster than Tag though, as his blur of motion would prove to be the hardest to hit.

"Hey, where did Team Vitality go?" Tag called back to Team Volt as they began to get within range of the Power Plant's vision.

The three shrugged and began looking around. Of all the Crimson Guild Members around, one of their most Elite Teams weren't even present among them.

The Lugia nodded a few times to Crimson and looked up as the new arrival made their report of their location. She shook her head a few times and reached out with her maw to scoop up the berries with her tongue to eat. Taking in a deep breath, she rose up to her full height once more and stretched before letting out a loud cry, sounding like a singing whale to announce her recovery. The doctors whom were there spread away as the Luiga seemed to be almost fully recovered from the blast of Lightning. Her eyes turned down to Crimson and soon a psychic aura enveloped him and set him onto her neck so she could carry him.

Her wings beat hard, renewing the gale around them into a torrential downpour as Lugia once more took to the skies. She flew lower to the ground to make sure if the Chimchar fell off, he wouldn't be seriously injured.

'Hold on tightly'

She instructed as her rear fins went flat onto her back to streamline her body. She accelerated faster, the raindrops breaking upon her nose as she called out again into the skies while letting the rain soothe away her remaining wounds. Relieved finally, she opened her fins once more and circled around the plant, looking for something with which to gain entrance.

'This place is important...look for a way inside so I might gain entrance'

She commanded the Chimchar while she circled around the plant high in the sky. Down below the other wild pokemon would form a circle around the plant, waiting for the chance to strike. With Lugia back in the field, hope was rekindled as she sung to the crowds down below. Now all she would need to do is find them a way inside and past the Orkish defenses...if there were any at all.

'''Oi! Oi! Oi! In 'da skies! Flying 'fings! Dakka 'dem down! Fill 'em full 'o 'oles boyz!" An ork boy shouted as gunfire erupted from every possible window. Deffguns began to fire in a machinegun like manner filling the skies with bullets, Rokkits, rocket propelled explosives shot into the air three at a time which randomly exploded at times, along with the usual shoota gunfire from below.

It seemed that every every entrance was covered, but that meant that what few numbers they had left the inside would be sorta empty. However getting past the fortress of bullets would be the challenge.

Of course inside the power plant, small little grots began to pile scrap onto some sort of makeshift platform with energy random arcing out very unstably. "'Oi...boss, I'z 'it a snag...I'z forgot 'ow 'ta finish 'da Tellyporta pad..." The Mekboy scratched his head as he forgot how to finish the machine.

"'Oi you git...'dat I'z no snag...'da real snag I'z if it duns work by 'da time 'da pokeyman gitz get 'ere! I'Z GONNA SHOW YOU'ZE A REAL SNAG!" The ork brute shouted. "Uh...right boss! I'z got a plan! I'z came with a plan! You'ze gots 'ta but me lotz 'o time! I'z can figure it out!" The Mekboy nodded as he began to fumble with more makeshift machinery.

"Louzy Mekboy gitz...dey'ze don't knowz 'da front 'O 'dere gunz...I'z better 'ear good newz...or I'z krump 'da git myself..."

Finally, Terrance's luck ran out. One of the lucky shots the orks were hoping for got him in the leg. "Ahh! Fucking asshole! I'm not okay! Take this!" He uncorked one of his "bonus packages" and lobbed it at the machine gun nest. The resulting explosion caused one of the corpses to fall right through the street, revealing a dark corridor underneath. And were those...skulls in the walls?

"Oh my god...what the hell is that place?"

"That's the Catacombs. About 3000 years ago, there was a war, and..."

"History lesson later. Get everybody down there, it's great cover. Your Pokémon look like they can take a bullet or two, but I had to leave my super-suit at home. They gotta clean up the city, and then we can start tending to the wounded like myself. Everyone else, I know it's spooky, but we gotta get underground. Looks like the wild ones have a plan for taking out the plant. You find any bodies, just toss 'em down here."

Things were going about as well as could be expected. For all the numbers they had, only a select amount could make the approach to Power Plant unscathed. Tag was easily the first one, darting around with a mastery of serpentine and crouching low under the building entrances. Upon arrival to the base of the building, he gazed up, making sure nothing was aimed towards him, but it seemed like their attention was directed towards the skies for the most part. Another benefit of still being a Turtwig, he thought as he sneaked around, searching for an entrance to exploit. He could still be stealthy.

Team Volt was having a slightly tougher go of it. Rubira could gallop at a pretty intense pace, but she lacked in the mobility department. There was little to no fire directed their way, luckily, so it wasn't a problem yet. But she dared not get any closer to make spray and pray all the more difficult for them. While she rode around in a circle around the plant, Lumi and Skyball were flinging their own projectiles into the windows from afar. Most of them were Electro Balls as that proved to be the most effective source of fire, given their massive speed advantage. But occasionally Skyball would find a rock on the ground and Fling it at them...just to mix things up. A few shots would hit and lower the rate of fire considerably. One would even kill. But they were going to need a bit more firepower than that if they wanted to take them out from the ground.

Most everyone else had to stay on the far outside perimeter, throwing long range projectiles if they could and waiting for an opening to charge into the complex in.





The Flying-Types were doing their job. They received most of the onslaught of bullets as they swarmed around like they were in a dogfight. However, there was much concern in the lack of numbers they had doing this. A good fifteen of them were maneuvering through a swarm of bullets being fired by more than 3 dozen Orks. Their all-out "spray and pray" method proved to be easier to dodge, but it wasn't impossible. A Pidgeot was hit by a rocket blast, taking in about average damage from it while an Aerodactyl had to retreat from a couple wounds gained from a few bullets. They needed more support from the air.

Among the Flying-Types was Crimson riding on Belana. For Crimson, this was a surprisingly new experience for him. All this time he'd been a Pokemon and throughout all the adventures he'd been on with other of all types, he'd never been on the back of a Pokemon who could fly. A very rocky start at first, given he'd nearly fallen off when she launched herself in the air, but with the aid of the Psychic energy around him, he managed to hang on. Now he had adapted to his new surroundings and was fairly comfortable on the back of Belana...so much so that he could hang on with one hand and hold the Power Bat up in the other. It...almost felt kind of nice with the view he had.

Unfortunately, he was on a mission. He didn't have time to enjoy the new perspective he was adopting as he used it to his advantage by looking around the complex. Every window had a gun of some kind sticking out of it and firing bullets of all kinds. One was shot in their general direction. Crimson deflected it with the Power Bat.

"How about there?" he pointed within the Lugia's field of vision towards a door behind the Power Plant, "They don't seem to have anyone guarding that door."





The Ground-Types with Dig were doing just that...digging. Using their senses from below and their general knowledge of the earth, they continued to make their way to the Power Plant from underneath, not visible by or susceptible to any kind of firing from the Orks that were holed up in there. It was a longer process, but it was one that would pay off in the end to be considered an ultimate sneak attack from below.





Unknown to any of the active participants in this fight, three Pokemon were already tucked inside the Power Plant, sneaking in before the Orks had fully taken over and set up their defenses. They fantastic trio of Team Vitality were now scurrying along the inside of the building, keeping an eye out for anybody and trying to find a way to exploit from within. They dared not to strike...not yet anyway.

"You'd think they would keep this place secure," Gambit whispered as he hovered low, "I don't see anybody."

"They're all stationed on the outside perimeter," Dee said as she checked the corner to an intersection before darting across tothe other side, "It's a tactical blunder to leave troops lounging around while others do all the work. Now hush."

"Dee, I don't think these guys are one for tactics," Siena pointed out reasonably as she scuttled along in Land Form.

"Regardless, they reported no life forms inside, which is a lucky break for us." Dee said as Gambit was about to round the next corner, prompting a sudden yank on his left wing to pull him back. It took all his willpower for the Togetic to not cry out in pain

"Hey, what was that for?" Gambit winced as he rubbed his tender wing.

"Check corners," Dee reminded him for what had to have been the hundredth time as she hopped over him, peering around the corner before glancing back with a justified glare on her face, "See? You nearly got that Ork's attention."

"What is he building?" Siena peeked over the tiny Dedenne's head to watch. Gambit joined them.

"Unknown device," came Dee's reply, "Could be anything. Looks unstable." She was, of course, referring to the electrical arcs that shot out of the rough design.

Gambit was scratching hiss head, "I don't think it's a weapon. It's inside the Power Plant and doesn't look very mobile."

"A bomb, perhaps?" Siena suggested, "These things do seem to like destroying things."

"Negative," Dee was analyzing the makeshift parts, "It lacks explosive components and a trigger."

"Maybe they haven't got to that part yet?" Gambit responded.